The Sun. — London, England, 1864-10-29 00:00:00

Oxford Local Examinations, At Nottingham yesterday the diplomas and cerN tificates obtained during the present year, together with several prizes given by gentlemen connected with the district, were presented to the successful candidates by Mr Lowe, M.P. The Mayor of Not tingham (Mr W. Parsons) was in the chair, and among those present on the platform were Earl Manvers, Sir R. I. Clifton, M.P., Mr IL Masters, High Sheriff, Mr Sherbrooke, Ray. D. Melville, University Examiner, Rev. T. Mcree, vicar of Not tingham, Mr C. 'Wright, Dr Tindal Robertson, and Mr William Enfield, local secretaries, &a. The MAYOR, in opening the proceedings, alluded feelingly to the death of the noble duke who last year distributed these rewards, and who only yes terday was consigned to the grave. He was sure that the Duke of Newcastle would live long in the grateful recollection of the people of Nottingham— not only for the great interest which he had always displayed in the advancement of education, and in the welfare of every institution in the town calcu lated to promote its social and material welfare, but also because by his death our beloved Sovereign lost one of her best and surest advisers, and the country one of its brightest ornaments. (Cheers.) Dr TINDAL ROBERTSON, one of the local secreN taries, said that in 1858, the first year of there 'exa• minations, there were eight local centres; this year there were 16. In 1858 the total number of youths examined was 1,226, and this number had now in creased to 7,155. In 1858 the percentage of passes was about 35 ; in 1864 it was about 67. In Not tingham in 1859 there were 28 candidates; in 1864 there were 36. The percentage of passes in 1859 was 32, and in 1864 it was 55. The percentage of those who passed in honours in 1859 was 7; in 1864 it was 19, (Cheers.) These figures spoke for them. selves and needed no comment. Dr Robertson then read a letter from Mr Paget, M.P., who ex• pressed his regret that a previous engagement would prevent him from attending; and ho also deplored the loss which the town of Nottingham and the whole country had sustained in the death of the Duke of Newcastle. The successful candidates having then been sum• moned, and having received from Mr Lowe the prizes and certificates awarded to them by the tXaminers, presented themselves. I rejoice to see that some have passed the examination in science under the Seience and Art Department at South Ken sington. I consider that the Government have taken a wise step, and as it was not of my own originating, I can speak of it without bias. The plan is that when a master who is proved to have proper qualification for teaching science has produced a pupil who passes a certain examination, that master is to be paid by the State for having done so. This is a simple and efficient machinery for developing a knowledge of science throughout the country. It is not so well known as it ought to be, and therefore I take the liberty of commending it to your notice. Let me add a few words now about examination, because it is the question of the day as regards education. I have always been ex• ceedingly favourable to it, because, as I have said, it is always better to know a thing than to take it on trust, and if a man gives himself out as possess* ing certain qualifications it is well to test them in. stead of taking his own word that he has them. Already this principle has been fruitful of the most valuable results. We have seen, for instance, its operation in the civil service, where a great part of the appointments are given on examination. People may say it does not follow because a man has passed a successfui examination that he will therefore make the best servant. Perhaps so. But examination is valuable not so much for its positive as its negative side—not so much because of those whom it selects as of those whom it rejects: The amount of stupi dity, incapacity, and idleness excluded by the simple requirement of a tolerably strict examination is enormous; and for every person so kept out of the public service an immense public benefit accrues, because he not only does nothing, bat he demoralises an office, ho hinders and seduces those who would otherwise make valuable and industrious servants. (Hear.) Then I can speak of another matter with some confidence,:and that is with regard to the exa. urination recently introduced into the primary schools devoted to the education of the poor under the Committee of the Privy Council. The Govern ment represents the secular element of education. The different denominations that have schools re present the religious element. Leaving religions education in the hands of those bodies, the business of the Government was to stipulate that, in exchange for the assistance they gave, as much secular instruction should be im parted as could reasonably be looked for. The ques tion was how to ascertain with any certainty whe ther this amount of secular instruction was given, Formerly the way we ascertained it was by sending a gentleman to report. That is to say, he took a great deal upon trust, because, however intelligent he might be, no man could by merely looking over the schools form a thoroughly accurate judgment upon their efficiency. Instead of this system we have in troduced the plan of examining each child and mak ing a payment for all who pass the examination, the result being that we have given an enormous stimu lus to the teaching of these children, and have re quired it to be shown, us we had a right to require, that the State, which pays for this instruction, really gets the article it pays for. (Hear, hear.) There is another remark I would make before leaving the subject of educational tests, and that is that those who think they can in their several vocations avoid examination are quite mistaken. They may avoid the form, and exempt themselves from the possibility of obtaining prizes and honours at such eximina tiona. But they must remember that if their bread :s to be won by their own abilities, their whole life Mr LOWE said—l have now gone through the gratifying duty of distributing the prizes and cer tificates acquired by the young gentlemen in the last examination of the University of Oxford. I fear that it will be impossible to add anything that will be new to the very admirable and striking remarks made already on this subject by the Mayor ; but in a case where it is desirable to make a per• manent impression, not only on those who have re ceived the priz?s, but on the community, who, I think, scarcely come forward as might be expected from its Intelligence and wealth, I will, even at the risk of repetition, go over some of the ground tra versed by those who have gone before me to-day. First, I would strongly exhort my young friends, although by their present exertions they have gained a great step in life, not to consider that they have gained a point at which they have a right to pause or slacken their exertions, These certificates are valuable, because they prcve that the know ledge of those who have obtained them has been tested and found competent. But let it always be remembered that the value is in the knowledge much more than in the certificate; that the certift. cete,though of value as c.d:Yriaative--because it is an evidence of knowledge—is not valuable for its own sake. Let the students before me rather consider that the point they have reached it a sort of table land, from avh;ch they may start afresh and go on further; that if it was worth while to acquire the knowledge they have now shown, it is worth their while to retain, to dcvelope, and improve it; and that what they have now done is merely to attain a point from which they may arrive at higher eminence. Let me beg of them to give what time they can spare from other pursuits to de velops that knowledge for which they have to-day shoe n6O much industry and capacity. Even if nothing else were gained by it, the mere promotion of the habit of reading and study is of itself one of the most valuable acquirements that a young man can make. In the familiar words of a classical writer, we may say of those studies that they delight us at home, ere no impedie went to ns abroad, help to soothe the tedium of our sleepless nights, and lighten the fatigue of long and toilsome journeys. (Cheers.) A young man who has formed a taste for readirg and study has a con. start solace; he gets that which is likeliest of all things to keep him from worse tastes and pursuits —a companion that will never desert him, an en joyment in which he can indulge without extrava gance and without self•reproach, while it is far from being a barren possession, because among men of ordinary capacity it is the greater amount of reads Lag which one man has compared with another by which he is distinguished from the crowd, and which .condeces to his success in life. I think I have now said enough to enforce the argument that, having gone so far, it is above all things undesir able that those who receive these prizes should think that they have done all that they need do. The certificate is " the guinea stamp ;" the know ledge which is gained is the " gold for a that." (Cheers.) In this country there is a class of per sons who make it their business to decry examine• Cons. A sort of false compassion is expressed for people who are always undergoing examinations. It is talked of as one of the miseries of life, and people are very often facetious in their remarks on this subject. But what I have always felt is that any one who objects to examinations is really ob jecting to have all things aecertaincd instead of Caking them on trust. That is the whole meaning of examination. A man gives himself out as knowing certain things. We say to him, "Prove ir, and we will believe you." Never take for granted anything you can test. There you have the ra tionale of examination, If it is worth while for a man to know anything, it is worth his while to submit to have his knowledge tried, and the man who shrinks from a test and says ho could do it if he liked, but wont try, will be pushed aside in the race of life, and deservedly so, for— " He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, Who fears to put it to the touch, And win or lose it all." That should be the nalaim of the young man who trios to rise in life,—to come forward and give evidence to the world of what ho can do. The days are long past when people were called on to give proof of their prowess. I❑ the time of knight-er• rantry, when a gentleman offered his hand to a lady he was expected to defend her in a very different way from now; it was his stror g arm that she was to rely upon to protect her from insult and injury, and the ladies had a way of finding out ,whether their suitors were worthy of the charge, One knight was sent off to fight a fiery dragon, another to draw three teeth from the jaw of the Sultan of Babylon, or to perform some equally agreeable ex ploit ; while ono lady whom we read of in story threw do wn her glove between a lien and a tiger, and bade her knight fetch it. These tests proved that the gentleman was equal to the task of pro• tecting his future wife. Such days are past, but it would now bo no bad test for a young lady in making choice of a husband to consider whether he has shown that industry and capacity which are far better calculated to promote his success in life than the mere possession of so much money. I suggest, then, to the fair ladies of Nottingham that if they are balancing between two suitors, they ought to give much weight to this consideration, because, believe me, a man who would eucceed in life has under ordinary circumstances far more in his own _ . _ ..... power than any one would imagine from reading ke a sation novels and that class of literature. Of curse thcre aro obstacles, such as failure of health, which check a raari's progress,and egainet which we cinnot ;ward; but in ordinary circumstances every man of average ability and industry is master of his own destiny. If a man's expectations are limited to his capacity, then is nothing of which he need despair. I know not that I can further enforce this opinion, so I sincerely congra. tulato those who have obtained these prizes, and I do hope that the next person who shall come here to distribut e t h em will find from rHs grea>, intelJigfnt, and Nealtby town a Ltrg,r Lur)11),:: of c:l,.Liti:o L.,11 ;:t.ay.) is really one long examination. The barrister when crossiexamining a witness, the clergyman iu his pul pit, the physician attending his patient, the states men in the House of Commons, are all really under going examination. (Hear, and laughter.) True, they aro transacting the business of their callings, but they are doing so under the eye of an intelligent and discerning iublic, and accordir•g to the opinion which the public form of their capacity depends their success or failure in life. All life is thus not a formal but an actual examination, and men prosper or fall as they satisfy the conditions of examination. In stead, therefore, of avoiding educational tes's, we ought to make up our minds to them. It is of no use to make 'wry faces ; it is better to meet the difficulty honestly, and to master it boldly. What we have to do let us do, as the wise man noun% selied, with all our might, sure that if we do this the result will crown our labours with success. Cheerio.) And now I will mention one other effect of examination. It has thrown a great deal of light, and it has drawn a great deal of attention, to the state of middle-class ed ucation in this country. Those who speak on these occasions seem unable to escape from this subject. 1 confess that I also am drawn into the vortex, and I yield to the influence the more readily because I am afraid 1 entertain opinions which are not generally broached. I vie w this subject as one of great importance, and think immense benefit will arise from discussing it. It does not seem to me that the term " middle-class education" is very happily chosen. To my ear there is in it something rather supercilious and one sided. Nobody talks of himself as belonging to the middle classes, and it is only those who, whether rightly or wrongly, consider themselves as belonging to the upper classes who use this term. As I say, Ido not much like it, but finding it in common use I also use it. Another objection that I have to the term is its extreme vagueness. What do we mean by " the middle classes ?" It depends eery much on the subject with which we connect them. If we are speaking of political power, we give those words one meaning—if of education, we attach to them another meaning. For educational purposes " the middle classes " means all those per sons who, being too well elf to send their children to the schools assisted by the State—the schools of primary education under the Committee of the Privy Council—are yet not sufficiently wealthy to send their sons to the great public schools. This vast class—comprehending almost all the commu nity, except the very poor who live by manual labour, and the very rich classes—is, for purposes of education, " the middle class." It is thus really &fined only by negatives. What it is we do not know, and when the subject comes to be thoroughly sifted you will find that " the middle class" must be divided and sub-divided into several classes and categories before any system of education can be made thoroughly appreciable to anybody. This class would hardly include the child that was just above the primary school, or on the other hand, the child that was just below Eton. It is said, and said with truth, that though we have get a typo of primary education, with which I am disposed to be content—the reading, writing, ciphering, and religious instruction which together form a good education for the poor man's child—for the great middle class wo have no such type. The schools, it is said, cannot be reduced under any general head ; they differ in every possible way, some of them being imitations of the public schools, some resembling the primary schools, smile based on one system, some on another, with no definite type or arrangement which will apply to all of them. It is said to be the intention of the Government to issue a commission upon this subject; and a great deal of good will be done if the subject is thoroughly investigated, and we learn what these middle-class schools are, and the work they are doing. The question is, what remedy shall be applied ? We all agree that the system is defective, but how is it to be set right ? Now, there are two very favourite nostrums, One has been put forward by a learned professor of the University of Oxford, and is in considerable favour with some whose opinions I hold in much respect, and for whose philanthropy I have still greater respect. It is that the State should take the matter up, that we should steal a leaf out of the book of the French system, that we should create a multitude of Lycees and Gymnases, the Government taking upon itself to found, endow. and teach in all the echoes of the middl e , classes. Now I for one emphatically disapprove that sugges tion, and I will give such reesons as occur to me. n tho first, place, the taxes cut of w!lich then ,chools must be endowed aro ta=cs raised not only 'rem the middle and the upper but from the work cg classes in this ccuntry, and as far as I under- stand the question it is neither just nor equitable to tax the poor in order to educate the children of persons who are perEctly able to pay for that education themselves. (Hear, hear.) That is one very serious objection. There is another, which Would not; perhzEs bo readily occur to you, but which is equally insuperable —the religious diffi culty. The moment you come to endow these schools the question as to the religious teaching there would arise, and upon that every system would infallibly go to wreck. Yon would never get parties to agree upon the religious teaching, and the scheme would be ship wrecked at the outset. This dilemma would present itself—either you would adopt one form of religious teaching, in which case it would become obnoxious to all the denominations which it did not include; or else, religious teaching being left nnprovided for, you would be told that this was " Godless" educa tion. There is another objection to the system I am considering, because I hold that it is the duty of the parent to find instruction for his child. This is the first duty arising out of the relationship between parent and child, and I know no principle upon which the State ought to take the duty out of the parents' hands and discharge it for itself. (Hear, hear.) It might be well in the cities of ancient Greece that the State should break up the ties of family, and should educate its own citizens. But English society is founded on the family tie; it is the relation of parent and child which holds the whole of this community together, and it will be an evil hour whenever the State shall invade or seek to interfere with that relation. (Cheers.) There is another reason which you will probably think of no little weight —namely, that there are no peculiar means by which the Executive Government of the day can ascertain what would be the proper educe. tion for the middle classes. If such a measure were introduced into the House of Commons, the Govern ment of the day making a programme of the studies to be pursued, the other half of the house would probably declare that these were the very worst studies which could be devised ; and when that side came into power and produced their plan, those who had been criticised would in turn, no doubt, beoome equally ready and merciless critics, so that after all we should come to no settled conclu sion. For these reasons I hope we may not come to see any interference by the Government in the way of directing what middle-class education should be. (Hear, hear.) Then there is another suggestion which is very popular, and which I dare say will attract the attention of the Commission—namely, that those en dowments which have somehow gone astray from the purposes of popular education shall be by some means recovered and applied to their legitimate use. I have not the slightest objection. No doubt it will be very agreeable to the parents if their bur. dens can be thus lightened. lam not going into the question. But though you may get endowments for middle class education, and by so much lighten the burden of the parents, it is utterly impossible for you to form, taking endowments as your foun dation, any type of a satisfactory middle class edu.. cation, and for this reason—if you want to preserve like the fly in amber, like a fossil or a crystal, the prejudices, the ignorance, and the mistakes of one age, for the full 11 , ze of light prevailing in another age, there is no such expedient as an endowment. (Hear, hear.) This has succeeded perfectly where ever it has been tried. A thing may be right and wise in the days when it was done, but time will not wait, and it is left behind by the progress of events. This is just the contrary of what we want • in education. What we want for a type of middle class education is something which will meet the requiremoats of the times, dcvelope with the idea, of the time, improve as we improve, and adopt and absorb in it all the now light we can give it. (Hear, hoar.) Now, the last place to look for this is in an endowment. You do not wAnt a dead but a living limb, connected with a living body, and nothing can be more fatal to progress than to suppose that you can, by availing yourselves of the money of dead men, give to schools the vitality and energy which can only arise by eontact with the living, breathing mass by which you are surrounded. (Cheers.) Another objection to endowments is that in an endowed school the master is always paid whether the work be well or ill done. The master of the unendo wed school is not paid at all by parents unless he does his work efficiently, and thus these schools acquire a stimulus in education which endowments have really the effect of destroying. I coma now to a third mode of proceeding. According to the vulgar proverb, " Those who pay the fiddler have a right to call the tune." Who pays the fiddler in this instance ? The parents. Then it is for the parents of the children of the middle class to say what education there children ought to receive and neither by the State nor by endowment ought that power to ba taken from them. But then I am met with the difficulty that that has bee❑ so all along, and that the parents of the children being apathetic and lethargic things have come to their present state. Well, then, we have narrowed the question to a very small point, because, admit° ting that this cannot be done by the State through the Charity Cemmissioners or Parliament, and that it must be done by the parents, the whole problem now is how are we to enlighten the parents of the children as to the proper education of the children whom they send to these schools. That opens a very difficult question. I have told you that the schools of the middle class are situated between two extremet—the primary and the public schools. I may be told, then, that the answer to this problem is exceedingly simple. " Incorporate into your middle.class schools the reading, writing, and ciphering taught in the primary schools, and in ads dition take so much of the teaching of the public schools as would be found necessary and useful for the purposes of the middle class," That, I think it would .be.. said, is the course which ought to be adopted. But then comes the question, " What is the teaching in these public schools, and what part of it can be thus appropriated ?" Here arises a serious difficulty. At Eton they teach Greek and Latin. If you ask what else, you will be told Latin and Greek. (A laugh.) I cull out of Latin and Greek that which will be useful for the great mass of Eng lish youth who havo to toil and earn their bread by business-like habits. The dlfieulty cannot be solved in that way. It is almost incredible that the diffi culty should exist, but it does exist. And it is hard to understand when you look at the history cf the thing. Eton and Winchester were founded in the reign of Richard 11. and Henry VI., in the darkest time of the middle ages. At that time there was no knowledge except Latin and Greek, and very bar barous Greek. The good founders, by their statutes, gave the children all the knowledge that could then be got. Consider how the people were situated. The first germ of physical science did not appear until Bacon's time, 200 'years after the founda tion of these public schools. The new world of America was then unknown. The noble litera ture of Germany, of Spain, and the greater part of Italian literature, had no existence. Nearly all mo dern history may be said. to have come into exist- ence since that time. For then there was only the history of Greece, or that of the corrupt empire of Rome. All else was the squabbles of kings and barons—which Milton likens to the conflict of kites and crows—from which nothing was to be learnt, except the propensity of human beings to destroy each other. it was natural for Wykeham and the other founders of our public schools to confine the education imparted there to Latin and Greek, there being nothing else to teaoh. But now that we have extended our knowledge in every direction, #oes it not appear a little strange to retain the same sys tem of teachipg as prevailed in the time of Richard 11. and Henry VI. ? I will not follow tia topio fur ther except so far as it shows that the public schools can be no guide for those of the middle classes, and that we cannot seek there for a type of that com plete education which should be given to one of the . . rising citizens of a great and free empire. What I suggest is that, putting aside prejudice and mere historical views, the Commission, and all of us in- deed should consider what ought to be the educa tion of the middle class, who are called on to make ,heir way in life by in tel]igence, probity, and know- ledge. I shou"d lay down certain principles with confidence if it were riot that the tide of prejudice has set in with great strength. It appears to me that the object of education is to teach a person that which . . it is most important ho should know. This seems a very simple proposition, and ro one in the abstract will dispute it. Now whet is it of the most import• ance a man should know ? Setting aside religion, of which I am not speaking, is it not mom important that he should know the actual state and condition of things around him than the mere names of things? My first proposition is, thit as we cannot find time to 6 - Awn ad, it i mat, important to twxhthi;:igs and impart facts and knowledge than to teach words; the second is, that it is more important for an Eng• lishman to know the history of his own country than that of anyother country in the world,past or present. That is perhaps true of every nation, but it is more true of England than of any other country in the world, because the world has never seen such another his tory. Since the conquest it has grown gradually up, each part fitting into the other, steadily and majestically deve loping itself like one of our noble oaks here in Sherwood Forest—expanding into one single mighty whole, so that we can trace the rise of every familiar institution and custom to the most remote antiquity. (Cheers.) The history of France goes up to 1789, but then occurs a great gap which nothing can ever fill up. I say that the world has never teen such a history as ours, and, that being so, is it not bet ter that a boy should learn thoroughly the history of his native land rather than spend his time in reading the wars of Greece, or the bloody quarrels of democracy and aristo cracy in Rome ? All these subjects have their use, but is it necessary that such immense importance should be at tached to them as we now see ? Is it not more important that a boy should learn modern than ancient history—that he should know a little of modern geography instead of tieing carried back into remote antiquity ? Well, then, I go a step further. Is it not better that an Englishman should be master of his own language than that his time should be spent in learning dead languages which he will never be called upon to write or to speak? Persons will always be found to study the dead languages for their beauty, and Latin will always be necessary for a gentleman. But to make Latin and Greek the principal study of youth—l am speaking of the middle class—and to suppose a boy has got an education when he knows nothing of his own language, nothing of modern history, nothing of modern languages, nothing of bookkeeping, nothing of physical science, is to invert the order of everything, and to put the pyramid on its apex. Is it not far more important that a boy should speak French or German than that he should write Latin or Greek ? For his advancement in life there can be no ques tion that the modern languages are more important than the dead languages. from the many fields of industry which they open up to him. lam not speaking of those who can afford to throw away these best years of life, but of those who have to fight their own battles, who have to acquire not only the knowledge which produces an effect upon the mind, but that which has its own intrinsic value in the battle of life. What can bo more idle for these than the making of school verses, whether Latin or English ? What worse education can there be than that of trying to make a lad a poetaster ? Any man of fair education can string verses together, but among 10 millions of men who can do this there will not be found one whom nature hath endowed with the gifts of a true poet. What can be more absurd then than to attempt to make young men write verse who, from the extreme rarity of the gift, cannot possibly succeed, and who, if they did by chance succeed, would probably be consigned to misery and to poverty for the rest of their lives ? (Laughter.) The object of the education of the upper classes seems to me to be words, not things, as if the triumph of education was to make a man a sophist, a poetaster, or a schoolmaster. Now, Ido not think that is all we ought to do for English youth. We may do better things than that. In the first place, I am not at all sure that wo do not materially injure the very objects we intend to promote by too exclusive a cultivation of the dead lan guages. Our aim is rather to give taste than knowledge, yet taste is exactly the thing which no education can give. A man has it or he has it not. Some men we know who, without pretending to any considerable acquaintance with classic models, have a correct taste, and in their speeches you never hear an instance or an illustration which is in appropriate. There are not in the House of Commons two men who speak with better taste than Mr Cobden and Mr Bright, yet neither professes a very exact knowledge of classic writers. On the other hand I could mention men who have studied the classics closely, and can hardly open their mouths without offending some rudimentary canon of taste. The fact is, that education may give you ideas and words, but not taste. And I do not know why it should, because, though taste is the delight of society, it is not a thing which ought to be looked to in so rough a scheme as that of popular education. I venture to think that these maxims do embody a scheme upon which a really sound typo of middle class education may bo founded. It can only be enforced however by the will of the parents, and all that can bo done is that these who have an opportu nity of influencing public opinion should we those oppor tunities in order as far as possible to develope this subject in its diff , rent bearings, work it out more fully than I can now do, spread information, and so pave the way for a sound system of education in England. Let me remind you before passing from this eulsjsct that in the study of Greek and Latin we are not following classical examples. Words could not express the indignation with which an ancient Greek would have received a request that he would learn Persian, and the Greek langusgo does not contain a word equivalent in tense to our word "grammar," Yet these people carried human intehigcnco further than any people who ever lived I They were educated to understand things about them, and allowing other countries to speak their own language they classed them with sovereign con tempt under the name of barbarians. There is another point on which I wish to make myself clear. I hold that the Go vernment has a great interest in the education of every one of its citizens. I would not allow the State to infringe upon the parents' tight to educate his child in his own way. But it does appear to we that the parents have a right to know, if possible, what kind ct education their children aro re ceiving. When a man sends his child to school ho knows very little of, he cannot really tell what sort of education his son is receiving. That is in some degree remedied by what we have witnessed to-day, because it will naturally be inferred that those schools which gain prizes are well con ducted. That, however, may bo a fallacious conclusion, since schoolmasters may devote themselves to produce a few show boys ire order to mako an appearance on these occasions. What the parent wants to know is whether a good sound system of education prevails throughout the whole school, how is he to ascertain that ? An instance occurs to me in the report of the Public School Commis sion. The Commission proposed to examine all the pupils. If they had proposed to burn down the schools, boys, mas ters, and all, there could not have been greater consterna tion. There is no more amusing piece of literature than in the correspondence which took place with the master on this subject, All agree] that it could not be done, but the reason why it could net be done differed extremely. I hardly wonder at this reluctance, for if the President of the Council were enabled to send to Eton a school inspector, such as he sends to the primary schools, with instructions to report that many children satisfied the standard, not in Latin and Greek, bat in English, I would venture to Bay that that report would terrify the papas and! mammas of England out of their wits (laughter), and the utter igno rance of the boys of things assumed to be known by every boy would lead to a revolution in the edueekion there, more rapid and more summary than we can conceive. Why should we not arm the State with that power ? Why should not the State be permitted to send a person to examine any school open for the education of children and report u on it? I would not lot the State do more than report the suit of the examination, and upon that let the parents act es they might be advised. Supposing this were done, if a school was seen to be badly managed the master would lose his pupils if he did not mend his manners. In this was , you would exercise a pressure upon the schools. The pro• tees is a slow one, but I believe it is the only possible process. In this country we resist things forced upon us by Government; wo like to do things for ourselves, and in this way, if progress is slow, at any rate it is sure. I think you will not settle the question by the interference of Go vernment, nor materially advance it by obtaining ondo mo ments; it must be done by the action of the middle classes themselves; and the only assistance the State could render would be by instituting this compulsory power of inspec tion, so that at any rate the community might be aware of the state of education in any particular school. That is not, in my opinion, an unreasonable interference with the liberty cr the subj:ct, because the State has a great interest in tho condition of these schools, and without a system of State inspection parents have no means of testing their condition. Let me now, before I conclude, make ono suggestion as to this examination. It appears to me very undesirable that we should have the two Univer sities holding different examinations. There is nothing bettor than a competition between persons examined. There can be nothing worse than a competition between exa miners. ,It tends to prevent duo caution in awarding certi cates. One set of examiners underbid another if they want practice, and the whcle system is brought to the ground. Now,it is desirable here that the standard should be exactly the same, that there should be no difference between the value of certificates awarded by Oxford or by Cambridge—. and I can see no reason why the two Universities should not appoint a common delegation to whom the question of examination should be confided. It is a question which must force itself upon them sooner or later, and I now throw it out for their :consideration. Again, we say it is right that those who havo passed a successful examination should have the fact recorded, and that their knowledge, so to speak, should thus be stamped into money. That seems a just principle. ,Why is it extended to men alone P Sup pose a young lady acquires the knowledge covered by these examinations. Suppose she is a good mathematician, or has a knowledge of any language or branch of natural history. All ladies cannot marry. t Suppose she has to work for her bread. What fairness is there in denying her this certificate of proficiency which you give to every man who can gain it? (Hear.) Where is the gallantry of the male sex in refusing to women that which we find so beneficial to men ? These things are a blot on our civilisation. When I see that a woman who acquires the art of printing is not admitted into the printing office lest she should lower wages ; when I find ar absolute, panic among the doctors at the notion of any woman practising medicine—it seems to mo that our treat ment of the fair and better half of humanity is most harsh and unjust. Vie overheltu them with compliments—we give them precedence—but when it comes to ( - quill jus tice,, when they ask to have equal justice with ourselves, we not only do not treat them with gallantry and coneideratim, but with the utmost cruelty and contempt. (Hear, hear.) I do not want a separate examination for women, but if a young lady can satisfy an examiner upon the same subjects, as are set before men, she is as much en titled to the advantages of this certificate as they have ; and it is narrow-minded, an unfair, and an unchristian thing to dilly thin certificate to her, The right hon. gentle- THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVItNING-, OCTOBER 29, 186.1. man paid an eloquent tribute to the character and public services of the late Duke of Newcastle, whose interest in the subject of education he specially eulogized, and con cluded, amid loud applause, by expressing the pleasure which it gave him to visit a country endeared to him by so many recollections, and to discharge the duty which he had now so imperfectly fulfilled, The Rev. F. MORSE, Vicar of Nottingham, moved a vote of thanks to Mr Lowe for his attendance and able address. In seconding the motion the Rev. D. Melvill, Canon of Worcester, and one of the examiners, said that Oxford was anxious to unite with Cambridge for the purpaso of these examinations, but he was told yesterday, on high autho. , rity, that, at present at all events, th© thing was hopeless. The motion was carried, and Mr Lowe briefly acknow ledged the compliment. The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding. The Mysterious Death in the Green Park, ADJOURNED INQUEST. Yesterday afternoon Mr Langham, deputy coroner for Westminster, resumed the inquiry at the Westminster Hos pital respecting the death, from alleged violence, of George King, late gas inspector, in the employ of the Chartered Gas Company. James _Hooper, of King Henry's-road, St John's-wood, said he was in the Green Park between four and five on the day of the occurrence, and saw a man lying on the grass ap parently asleep. Ile did not see him fall; he was lying on his back, breathing heavily, and apparently insensible. He thought the man was in a fit. A woman came up and said she had:seen the man fall, and strike his head very heavily. He jumped up, and again fell and struck his head another violent blow. A footman employed at Marlborough House confirmed this statement. Jesse Chew, of the Horse Shoe, King-street, remembered tho deceased being brought to his house by two men. He supplied him with some brandy. He did not see whether he drank the brandy. He complained of having been drugged. By Mr Draper (for the friends of deceased)—His house was much used by the police. William Stanton, 47, Grosvenor-street,Pimlico, cabdriver, said that on the 3d September, about half past four, ho Was plying in the Haymarket, when the deceased came up to him and spoke. He had a friend with him. Ile was then per- I fectly sober. Henry Beveridge, one of those who went to the police station on the morning after the occurrence, said ho asked the inspector whether a doctor had seen him, He replied in the affirmative, and said Dr M'Cann had reported that the man was in liquor. He bailed him out. Inspector Green deposed that he had visited him fre quently in the cell during the time ho was on duty, froc twelve to three, but did not hear any noise as if ho were throwing himself about. He did not enter the cell, but looked through the little wicket, threw a light in, and saw him lying there. A Juror put several pertinent questions to the witness, and said that from his answers he did not actually know whether ho had seen deceased at all. By Mr Wontner —IIe last visited the deceased about a quarter to three, He was breathing at the time. He had visited him five or six times, Inspector Bradshaw told wit ness that deceased had been to the hospital, and tho doctor reported that he was drunk. Inspector Bradshaw (recalled) repeated that he was on duty when the deceased was brought in charged with bAng drunk and disorderly. In his opinion he had been drink ing. He visited the deceased twice between seven and nine in the cell. He appeared to be asleep and was breathing heavily. By Mr Wontner—He had never seen the deceased him self at the station looking after the gas meter, ho had been told so. He spoke to the deceased, but could get nothing from him but a groin. By a Juror—When he saw the deceased first he did not see any marks or bruises on the head or forehead. They always looked at every man before ho was locked up. Inspector Swanson deposed that he was on duty on the morning when deceased was bailed. Ho positively denied that the previous wilncss I - liveridge, when he came to bail deceased, asked witness if the deceased had been seen by a medical mar, and that he told him the divisional surgeon, Dr. IWCann, of Parliament_street, had seen him, and had reported that he was druck. If Beveridge bad sworn such a fact, it was positively untrue. By a Juror—When the deceased came from the cell to be bailed he stood up in front of the desk. He did not observe any wounds on the forehead or head. By Mr Draper—The deceased's wife was outside the station. She made no charge against the police that he had been illtreWed and murdered by the police. He was positive of that. Joseph James, gasfitter, deposed that he was present when B iveridge went to the station to bail deceased. He did not hear any conversation between Beveridge and Inspector Swanson relative to deceased having been seen by the divi• sion surgeon. He was present the whole time, and if any such conversation had taken place ho must havo heard it. The deceased's wife was at the station door, Ile did not hear her make any complaint of her husband having been ill-used by the police. Police-constable James llancher, recalled—When he saw deceased in the station-house ho did not observe any wounds on the head or forehead. By the Coroner—He positively denied that he ever struck the deceased. lie was on reserve duty in the passage. By Mr Draper—He visited deceased several times in the cell in the usual way, through the wicket. He then got the key, opened the door, and looked in. The deceased got up from his seat. He had not got his hat on. Witness advised him to put it on, and shut the door, as he thought all was right. Walter Theolnld, police-constable 63 A, said he was on reserve duty on the night deceased was in the station. He saw deceased, but saw no wounds or bruises on his head. Saw him several times in the coll. 'When on reserved duty he never carried a truncheon ; it was not usual. He was relieved by Police-constable Maidtnent. He positively denied that he ever struck deceased. Police-constable Maidnacnt recalled. He positively denied that he ever struck the deceased while under his charge. Polic©•constable M'Farlane, who brought deceased from St George's Hospital to the station, said the deceased waked, but appeared very weak. He (witness) put his arm through deceased's on their way from the hospital to the station. He positively denied that he ever str uck the deceased. The Coroner then proceeded to sum up. Ho said that it was hardly possible to exaggerate the importance of the case, having regard to the difficulty of coining to a satisfac tory conclusion. Ho trusted that the jury would give to it their most earnest consideration. They would first do well to bear in mind that although the fall which it was proved the deceased underwent in the park might have caused some of the injuries, yet it did not follow that all the injuries from which he suffered were thus occasioned. There were three periois of time, in some one of which the fearful in jury to the skull and brain, from which Ceath resulted, must have been received. First, during the time which elapsed between the moment of his parting with Canly to enter the park and his being found lying on the ground near Stafford House; secondly, while he was being taken to the station house from St. George's Hospital; and thirdly, while in the King-street police-station. He would not waste time by considering the suggestion that the fatal injuries were received after the deceased was bailed out of the station, as the fact and the evidence conclusively negatived such a supposition, It might then be first assumed that the deceased was perfectly sober when ho entered the park. The medical evidence was decisivoly given that the in juries were not the result of a fall, but of a fight or a very brutal assault. Now, it appeared improbable the fatal injury was the result of an attack, made in open daylight in the midst of the park. Robbery was not a motive, for the deceased was not plundered. The medical evidence, conflicting enough on various points agreed in this, that the injuries to the skull and brain had not been inflicted at the time the deceased left Sc George's Hospital in the custody of police-constable MTarlane. Where then were they in flicted ? M'Fariane led him along Constitution-hill and Birdcage -walk at seven in the evening. It seemed impro bable that that officer, who appeared to have behaved with kindness to his prisoner, could have hurt him, Then came the period of time during which the deceased was in the police cell. He was handed from the custody of one inspec tor and one constable to another, and all those men when asked, after the usual caution, replied that they had not struck the deceased. But it should be borne in mind that the injuries were such as could not have arisen acciden tally. The bruises were almost the size of a walnut, and Mr Hawken stated expressly that they were such as would be produced by the blows of a truncheon. If the jury were of opinion that the police had struck their prisoner, a defence less unprotected man, such repeated blows with a truncheon, it was hie duty to tell them that such an act would be proof of such malignity of disposition that it would amount in the eye of the law to wilful murder. It was painful to arrive at such a conclusion with regard to the A division of police, which was the picked corps of the force ; but if the evidence led to that conclusion, the jury should not shrink from its duty, but to return a verdict of wilful murder against some person unknown. But if, in spite of the me dical evidence, they should think it possible that the inju ries resulted from falls, or an assault or fight in the park, then they should return an open verdict, to the effect that the evidence did not show how the deceased came by his injuries. The Jury were then locked up, and fur nearly three hours they were unable to decide upon their verdict. At . _ _ six o'clock they returned into court with the following ver dict :—" That the deceased died from the fracture of the skull, but the evidence is not sufficient to prove how the fracture arose; and tho jury are unanimously of opinion that the surgeons of St. George's Hospital ought to have kept the deceased in that institution, and not to hzvo given him over to the hands of the police." The unfortunate widow of the deceased, only 42 years of age, residing at No 2, Ponsonby-terraee, Milbank, has been left with seven children, the oldest a girl only 16 years of age, the others varying down to four months, wholly un provided for and dependent on her for support. The ma j,)rity of the witnesses generously presented the widow with he awounte paid tb.uulby th,) eerouer for their atieudance, for which she appeared very thankful, It was stated that Cie Chartered Gls Company and their employes would pro mote a fund for the benefit of the widow and her children, The Alleged Murder in Pimlico. Last night Mr Langham, Deputy Coroner, held an inquiry at the Stanley Arms, Sussex-street, Pimlico, respecting the death of Charlotte Frances Volhard, who was supposed to have been murdered. Mr Smyth appeared for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr Roberts represented Mrs Louisa Beverley, the keeper of the house in which the deceased was found dead. Charles Volhard, 19, Hatfield-street, Blackfriars-road, said he was storekeeper at an engineer's. The deceased was his sister, and she lived at No, 47, Sussex-street. She was 23 years of age, lie last saw her alive on Monday night, at 11 o'clock, at his lodgings. She was in excellent health and spirits. She'left the place,and the next day at halt-past 2 o'clock he heard that she was dead. He went to Mrs Beverley's, and they put him into another room, not his sister's, and would not let him see her. He told the land lady he wanted to see his sister, but she replied, " Oh no; I will let you see her at one if you promise not to say any. thing to her other relations." She then took him up to the drawing room, and kept talking nonsense to him for an hour and a half. Four gentlemen called on her during that time, and she said one was her doctor, Mr Hoets, and another her solicitor. She then had a fit which lasted hal an hour. When sho recovered she ordered the servant to take him downstairs to see his sister. He found her dead on the floor, with a pillow under her head, and a sheet over her. The room was in great confusion. A wedding ring was on her finger, but it had been since stolen. The ser vant said that the police had been in, and that all the de- ceased's things had been locked up by them, and that they had the keys. The witness went to the police station, and the inspector said the police knew nothing whatever about the matter, and accompanied him back to the house. The inspector questioned the servant about the keys, and after some delay she pulled them out of her pocket. The inspec tor took down a statement of the jewellery left by the de • ceased. After that aMr Metcalfe came and placed three men at the door. The witness ordered a coffin, but when the undertaker's men brought it Mr Metcalfe would not admit it, and said he had ordered ono. Ultimately it waa taken in, The deceased left no will. By Mr Roberts—Mrs Beverley did say that she would not have the deceased moved until the inquest was held. She said she would not have an Irish wake, The witness was born in Ireland. The deceased had cuts and bruises on her face, The witness hero said with great energy, " I object to this man being here at all. He was kissing Mrs Beverley before my face. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, My liule dear, don't fret.' " Mr Roberts—After this exhibition I need hardly ask another question. Will you swear I kissed Mrs Beverley? Witness—l will swear it. Mr Roberts—l have done with you, Mr Smyth wished to ask the witness whether his sister had not told him she wished to leave the house, but the coroner said it was not relevant. Witness then said that his sister wore diamond earrings and several gold rings on the Monday night. She had not the diamonds or the rings on when he saw her next day. Dr Parkinson Hosts, M.D., said that he was called in to the deceased shortly before 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning. Mr Metcalf, a linendraper, living in Lupus street, came for him in a cab. He found her on the floor in the back parlour. She had on her chemise. The body was partially cold. There was a slight abrasion on the right temple and cheek. That was the side on which her head rested on the carpet. There was an entire freedom from marks of violence on the body except on one place where there was a seam, which ho was told arose from her having put her leg some time pre viously through a pane of glass. There was also a scratch on the nose. He made a post mortem examination in pre sence of Dr Reilly and Dr B. Payne. The witness never attended Mrs Beverley, or any one in the house. Tho exa mination led him to consider that the deceased died from an enfeebled heart, embarrassed by fat in a system worn down by over stirnulat:on and habits of drinking. He did not think that the marks of injuries to the head or face had anything to do with the death. By Mr Smyth— Ho did not think the injuries had been caused by blows. A quarrel, &r., would have been very likely to have accelerated death. Dr B. Payne, who attended at the examination for the brother of the deceased, gave similar evidence. Ann Metz'es, servant to Mrs Baverley, said that the de ceased came home at 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the worse for drink. The witness put her to bed, and she said sho was not to be called till 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At 11 o'clock the witness entered the room and saw her dead on the floor. Mr Metcalf, the upholsterer, was in the house about some furniture hangings at the time. The deceased never had any quarrel with anyone. She had fits two or three times, but she had none on the Tuesday. By Mr Smyth—A Miss Meanwell called on the Tuesday after deceased died and asked•after her. The witness said " Mrs. Riverau (the name by which the deceased was known) is all right." Sho said that for fear of a mob gathering. The witness saw the diamond earring, &e,, on the deceased on Tuesday morning. She had diamond brooches, rings, &c. The witness did not know that some one had offered portions of the jewels in pledge since. The witness had some rings, &c., safe now. The Coroner then summed up, and said that the jury should confine themselves to the consideration of the cause of the deceased's death. They bad nothing to do with the question of the property left by her. - The jury returned a verdict. That deceased died from disease of the heart from natural causes." They further expressed their opinions that the landlords and ground land lords aro to blame for letting so many houses for such pur poses as that to which 47, Sussex-street, is applied, and which are a disgrace to the neighbourhood. The Colliers' Strike. Yesterday the 19 colliers were again brought up at a special sessions in Bilston. Mr Spooner again presided as the sti pendiary magistrate. Lord Lichfield, the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, was again upon the bench, as also were Captains Paley and Barnett, of the 12th Huasars. Sergeant O'Brien, of the Midland Circuit, assisted by Mr Motteram, of the Oxford Circuit, continued the prose cution ; and Mr Kenealy, of the Oxford Circuit, instructed by Mr Roberts, solicitor, of Manchester, defended the pri soners. Superintendent Orwell deposed to the commencement o the riot. Ho said that a considerable force of between 3,030 and 4,000 were approaching the part of the road upon which lay the coal pits of the Earl of Dudley, and had declined to cease beating their drums, by which the men going to work were intimidated, when Major M`linight, the acting chief constable of the county, who had boon walking with a body of police alongside ct the mob, threw a number of his men across the road just where a street branched out of it. As he (The superinten dent) was standing in the road in front of his men, one of the mob rushed up to him and violently pushed him. He pushed him back; but ha again ran at him, and, swearing that the police should not stop him, kicked him with great violence on the shin, occasioning a wound. At the same time there was a cry raised to attack the police and force a way, and Major M`Knight gave orders for the drums to be seized. Sticks were flourished and a general attack was then commenced on the police, to which the latter replied, the front rank drawing their truncheons and the rear rank their sabres, but the latter to be used only to preserve the prisoners from rescue. A policeman confirmed this evidence, and further testi mony of the riotous nature of the assembly and the concert with which the men were acting was given. Mr Kenealy then made a powerful speech on behalf of the prisoners. Ho contended that they were all law fully engaged when they were stopped upon the high road by the police. They had a right by persuasion or example to endeavour to induce their fellow-men to pursue the same course they were pursuing, so long as they did so peaceably. That they were doing 80 peaceably was shown from their using drums and fifes, as did Odd Fellows and others when they made a peaceful demonstration. They were out try ing to show that they were not in the starving condition some people supposed, and were also trying to inspirit their fellows to hope for success; but they were not out for any illegal purpose. At what other hour could they hope to bring their arguments to bear upon their follow workmen than at an early hour in the morning, when they were going to work ? After that hour all access to the men would be cut off, for they would be down in the pits, No better evidence of the impression the men had that they were act ing legally could be found than was furnished in their say ing they would consult their leaders, and if they decided that they were to leave off their processions they would leave off. He knew of no law which would prevent such assemblies. The Stipendiary said that as the question had been raised he had no alternative but to commit the prisoners for trial, for the state of things which had recently prevailed could be no longer allowed. if the law did not prohibit such meetings, then an act of Parliament must bo passed making them illegal, or the people would rise up and demand such a law; for he could assure Mr Kenealy that such had been the state of that district recently that a perfect _reign of terror had prevailed. Persons had come and made com plaints to him personally; and they had made those com plaints upon the express condition that the source of the complaints should not be made known, so great was their fear of the consequences. After this expression of opinion from the Bench, Mr Kenealy would not proceed any further. Mr Sergeant O'Lrien, on the special request of the Sti pendiary, made a brief reply upon the law. He ridiculed the notion that there had not been conspiracy, and regretted greatly that a gentleman in the position of his learned friend should have given tho weight of his opinion to such a statement in that district at that time. The Stipendiary said that if his extended experience had taught him, and if he had learned anything from muchfread ing in his profession, it was to be assured that these meet ings were as illegal as illegal could be. There was clear prima facie evidence before him which would warrant him in committing them for trial for illegal assembling, frr us.:aultiug the policy in the etcution of their duty, for con- F piracy to intimidate men from going to work, and also for riot. Earlier in the proceedings the Stipendiary had intimated that he should commit for riot, and Mr Kenealy objected that there had been no charge of riot. But the Stipendiary said that if riot was proved befcre him he was bound to commit upon it. His worship now expressed his deepest and very strongest regret that he had to commit upon such charges men who had hitherto borne respectable characters, and some of whom ho doubted not were the dupes of their leaders. if those leaders had any spark of manliness about them they would now use all their influence to prevent their followers from imperilling themselves 'in so lamentable a manner. The law had been violated, and it must take its course. Mr Kenealy then asked that bail might be accepted. The Stipendiary declined to grant the application, because he could not look upon the riot on the morning of the 20th as other than an organised attack upon the police. Kidnapping by the Federals. With reference to the case of George Hopper, of Sunderland, who it is alleged has been entrapped into the Federal army, the following letter has been addressed to Earl Russell by Mr Lindsay, M.I. :- 8, A.ustin Friars, City, Octoblr 20, 18G1.—My Lord,—l enclose for your lordship's consideration a letter from a young man, George John Hopper, to his parents, who reside in the borough of Sunderland, which I have the honour to represent in Parliament. The letter is sent to me by Mr J. H. Hodge, the ruler of pilots at Sunderland, who vouches for Hopper's resrectability. It appears that Hepper, who is only 18 years of age, was in the course of serving the requisite number of voyages at sea to qualify himself to be competent to follow his father's occupation, that of a pilot at the port of Sunderland. It further appears that, for the purpose I have named, Hopper, in January last, sailed in the Jessie Scott, from Sunderland for Pernambuco, and returned to Liverpool in the same ship in June last ; at that port he joined the Chancellor, also a British ship, and on the 22d June sailed in her for New York, where he arrived about the beginning of last month. Two days after his arrival he was entrapped and carried off to the United States army of the Potomac, where he was on the 22d ult. The case, then, presented to your lordship is simply this :—A subject of her Majesty, under the immediate protection of treaty, has been intoxicated or poisonously drugged, in the city of New York, by per sons acting in the interest of the Government of the United States, and that Government has taken the benefit of such cruel and lawless act by retaining the services of the captive. The unfortunate subject, it would appear, too ignorant to know through what channels to appeal for redress, was immediately hurried to the field of battle, and is retained there against his will, exposed to the risk of a daily recurring combat. I assume that the statements in his letter to lals parents are true, for none can read it and doubt. His simple ignorance precludes deception. But the occasion is imminent. It may be that this young man is killed or maimed for life before the most active interference can come to his relief: I feel it incumbent on me, therefore, as his immediate representative, to whom the appeal is made, to ask of your lordship that her Majesty's Minister at Washington be directed to require that without delay, for the purpose of inquiry or other wise, the young man in question be brought to his pre sence, and if the Government of the United States, after his personal safety is thus ensured, desire inquiry to be made, it can then be made. I do not, of course, know what like cases of actual kidnapping of subjects of Her Majesty, under the auspices of the present policy of the Government of the United States, may have been brought directly to the notice of the Forcieh Office—but I do know that the public journals of that country keep us informed that such cases aro constantly occurring with very many ignorant and helpless foreigners who find themselves un protected in their cities. I have desired to give publicity to this in England under the sanction of my name, and on the proof herewith submitted to your lordship, and hope I shall be pardoned, therefore, for sending this communica tion to your lordship at once to the press.—l am, &c., W. S. LINDSAY. CO ITN TRY MA R Fall TS. ---- LIVERPOOL-FRIDAY. We have had rather a small attendance of the trade at cur corn exchange this morning, and with a limited inquiry for wheat, the lransactiens have been at previous prices. Flour in moderate demand at an advance of Gd per sack and barrel. Indian corn neglected, but fully Gd per qr ad vance on the week. Oats dull, and oatmeal brought 3d to Gd more money. Beans unaltered. - BRISTOL-THURSDAY. There was a moderato supply of English wheat. Trade cles3d quiet. business being checked by the increased firm ness of farmers. Foreign in improved inquiry, at fully last week's quotations. Malting barley quiet; grinding a slow demand, and the turn easier. Oats, beans, and peas met a slow sale. BURTON• ON• TR ENT-THURSDAY. There was a fair show of wheat at our market to-day, for which the demand ruled firm, at late rates, Batley very plentiful, and best sorts fully maintained former rates. o , its an average show, and unaltered in price. Beans in Mr supply, with a heavy trade, at prices much the same as of late. Old white wheat..44s to 48s I (Al red wheat„..4os to 435 Ncw do. ..4Os to 45s I New do. ..37s to 41s Malting barley....32e to 34s I Oats 2O to 313 Grinding d0.....28s to 30s Beans 37s to 41s WAKEFIELD-FRIDAY. The wheat trade is steady, and there is no change in preg vious values; business not. extensive. Barley meets a slow sale. In other articles no change. Averages for the week : Wheat 95 qrs., at 423 41 Oats — 8ar1ey......... 635 Peas .... 35 Beans BRISTOL SUGAR—FniDA.y. The market remains much the same in tone. Importers abstain from pressing sales, and the purchases by grocers have been limited to a few parcels of Barbadoes at former rates. num quiet. COAL M. Prises of Coal per Ton at Walls End. LUKET. the close of tha market. Walls End. 8. d. Bell ..20 3 Brgddyll's Hettou ..... 21 3 Hetton 2l 9 Heugh Hail .21 0 Tunstall Caseop ..... 22 0 Ships at:marki ...21Haswell East Hartlepool 21 6 K elloe.. South lielloe 21 0 Cyru Garuant Stone `L2 6 28 ; sold, 23, Foreign Mail Packet List, MAILS DIIE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Nov. 18. via Marseilles Nov. 12. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Nov. 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Ilelena Nov. '29. China, Penang, c.nd Singapore, via Southampton Nov. 2 via Marseilles Nov. 2. Falkland Islands.. Gibraltar, via Southampton Oct. 27. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.. Nov. 2 via Marseilles No v. 12. India (Bombay), via Southampton Oct. 27. ---. via Marseilles Nov. 5. Portugal.... ...... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Oct. 27. via Marseilles Nov. 5 Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet Nov. 3 , by U.S. packet by Canadian packet Oct. 28. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, } Oct. 29. California. and British Columbia. It is now ascertained that the number of living salmon in the breeding ponds at New Norfolk is not less than 6,000, and there is reason to believe it may be as large as 10,000 instead of only 3,000 as estimated some time since, and that of trout there are quite 400,—Launceston (Tasmania) Examiner, August 23. Births. BUTLER —On the 27th inst., at Ashford, Middlesex, Mrs. J. 11. Butler, of a daughter. __ _ _ _ MILLER.— On the 25th inet., at Ansley Manor, Alton, tho wife of Sir C. H, Miller, Bart., of a daughter. MARSHAM.—On the 25th inst., at 14, New-street, Spring gardens, the Lady Constance Marsham, of a eon and heir. PETERS.—On the 28th inst., at 14, Tomlins-grove, Bow, the wife of Captain Robert H. Peters, of a son. Marriages. GLYN—COLLIER..--On the 20th inst., at Wickham, Hants, Captain Carr Stuart Glyn, Royal Dragoons, to Selina Catherine, youngest daughter of the late Rear -Admiral Sir Francis A. Collier, of Wickham. LOWER — MARSHALL.—On the 25th inst., at the Abbey Church, Itouiscy, Win. Thomas Lower, Esq., R.N. to Agnes Basilia, younger daughter of th e l a ! o Lieut.-Co. loud Marshall, K.II. Deaths. LEAR —On the 26th inst.,at Greenwich, Charles Lear,Esq l aged 83. MALTDE.—On the 28th inst., at Mornington-road, Regent's park, George Maude, Eeq., aged 41. ROBBINS—On the 27th inst., at Castle Malwood, Lynd• hurst, General Robbins, Colonel of the 80th Foot, aged 80. SOMERVILI.E.—On the 25:h inst., at Drishane, county Cork, J. J. Coghill, second son of Lieut.-Colonel SAn merville. \Vim'Am.—On the 27ih inst., at 15, Chesterfield-street, Mayfair, Henry Lewis Wickham, Esq., aged 75. WARREN.—On the 20th inst,, Anne,widow of the late Rev. W. Courbold Warren. and younger daughter of the lato Sir William Cubitt, F.R.S. WicKs.— On the 27th inst., at Hastings, Mr, Wm. Wicks, of Limehouse, London, aged 45. London: Pr:rit,?,(l and rrtbtished by WILLIAM. ANDREWS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at. THE Sus Ocoee No. I i 2, Strand, in the Precinct of the Slvr , y, n the cruntyot 1141,1 Wciex- - iiaturd4i, October W, 1661.